Skidding plate



W. E. M CRAW SKIDDING PLATE Def. "1 1, 1938.

Filed Sept.- 1'

A 770E NE/ Patented Oct. 11, 1938 2,132,744

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SKIDDING PLATE William E. McCraw, Bishops Falls, Newfoundland Application September 1, 1936, Serial No. 98,997

1 Claim. (01. 280-19) In my co-pending application entitled System of logging I have described a method of logging which is particularly adapted for using mechanical power in the logging operations.

These logging operations are usually carried on in rough and precipitous countries, one of the difficulties heretofore experienced in using mechanical power for moving the logs from the logging area to the sawing up place has been 10 the lack of a skidding plate which Will surmount all ordinary obstacles encountered on a logging area.

This invention relates to a skidding plate constructed soas to surmount all ordinary obstacles such as rocks, stumps, etc. encountered in the V logging operations. Furthermore, the draw bar of the skidding plate is attached to the choker chain by which the logs are secured to the plate.

This feature has the advantage that when the 20 plates are loaded the pull on the draw bar tightens the choker chain on the timber length being skidded, so that there will be little or no slipping. The advantage of this feature will be at once apparent since the greater resistance offered through the skidding plate travelling over rough or precipitous ground, the choker chain will be drawn tighter, thus holding the logs to the plate more securely, and preventing any tendency on their part to slip.

30 The skidding plate which is the subject matter of this invention is characterized by a flat bottom which converges into an upturned forward end, sides sloping upwardly from the bottom and converging forwardly to the upturned 35 end. A further feature of my invention is the manner in which the choker chain is attached to the plate, this being accomplished by providing a pair of lugs which are secured to the sides, approximately midway between the top edges and the bottom and slightly forward of the transverse axis. A still further feature of my invention is that the draw bar is slidably entered through an orifice formed in the front of the plate and attached to the choker chain. 45 For an understanding of my invention references may be made to the following description and accompanying drawing in which 7 Figure 1 is a side elevation of a skidding plate in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan View of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a front elevation, and Figure 4 is a cross sectional view on the line 4-4, Figure 2.

Like characters of reference refer to like parts 55 throughout the specification and drawing.

The skidding plate illustrated in the drawing is characterized by a flat part ID of substantial width at the rear, converging into an upturned forward end II, and sides I2, I3, I4, I5 which slope upwardly from the bottom and converge forwardly towards the upturned forward end. The sections I2 and I3 of the sides slope upwardly gradually, while the sections l4, I5 have a sharper slope being approximately at right angles to the bottom. The forward end of the upturned bottom is formed with an orifice I6 through which is slidably entered a draw bar H. The orifice I6 is reinforced as indicated at I8 in order to make proper provision for lateral and vertical stresses of the draw bar when the skid ding plate is travelling over rough or precipitous ground. The inner end of the draw bar I! is formed with a hook I9. Firmly secured to the sides I2, I3. are lugs 20, 2I. The lugs 2|], 2I are located about midway of the sections I2, I3 and slightly forward of the transverse axis of the skidding plate. The lugs 20, 2I are provided or formed with axial bores through which are entered a choker chain 22. The hook I9 of the draw bar engages with the choker chain 22 be- 25 tween the lugs 2|, 20.

The skidding plate illustrated in the drawing should be constructed of a size sufficiently large to carry anywhere from one to eight logs depending upon their size.

In the skidding operation, the butt ends of the logs are placed on the skidding plate and when the skidding plate is fully loaded the choker chain is passed around the log and the hook with which the chain is provided attached thereto. The load is then ready for skidding and it will be apparent from the previous description that as soon as the skidding starts the draw bar will pull the chain tight around the log.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A skidding plate characterized by a fiat bottom which converges into an upturned forward end, sides sloping upwardly from the bottom and converging forwardly to the upturned forward end, a lug on the interior of each side, said lugs being in axial alignment and having co-axial bores'therethrough, a choker chain entered in said bores and freely slidable therein, an orifice through the upturned forward end, a draw bar entered through and slidable in said orifice, said draw bar being connected to said choker bar.

WILLIAM E. McCRAW. 

